It definitely pays to be health conscious, and one way to be mindful of your health is to watch what you eat. One option that is becoming increasingly popular is following a vegan diet. The Veg Fest Express reports that there has been a 360% rise in the number of vegans in the UK over the past decade. The National Health Service state that vegans can still get the nutrients they need if they eat enough and balance their food choices to counter any misconceptions people have about the diet.
According to the data detailed on Health IQ, due to their diet, vegans lower their risk of colorectal cancer by 16%. Dig deeper and you will see that vegans decrease their risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes by 63% and 49%, respectively. Vegans are also 9% less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases.
Should you go vegan, you certainly won’t have to worry about food choices since there are a bevy of vegan recipes available online from savoury to sweet. In a previous post here on Yummiest Food, Lidia Simic shared her recipe for Banana Chia Pudding, a vegan, sugar-free breakfast. If you enjoyed that tasty treat, then you will surely love this vegan dessert recipe from the Food Network.
- 1 cup pecans
- 6 medjool dates
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 3 hours)
- ½ cup frozen strawberry slices
- ¼ cup agave nectar
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- Let’s start off with the crust by preparing a cup of pecans, 6 medjool dates, one-fourth cup of shredded coconut, one-fourth teaspoon of sea salt, parchment paper, and several mini muffin cups.
- First, remove the pits from the medjool dates. Soak the medjool dates in warm water for 10 minutes. While waiting, put the shredded coconut, pecans, and sea salt into the food processor. Place the dates in afterward, making sure to drain all the water. Process the ingredients long enough for the nuts to crumble and for the crust to stick on its own.
- Next, cut small strips of parchment paper and place them at the bottom of each mini muffin cup, making sure that the ends of each strip will stick out at the top. Pour and press about a teaspoon and a half of the mixture into each mini muffin cup. Set them aside for a while.
- Now for the filling, prepare the following: a cup of raw cashews soaked for 3 hours, half a cup of frozen strawberry slices, one-fourth cup each of agave nectar and melted coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender, including the cashews, making sure you drain and rinse them under fresh water. Blend them until they turn into a smooth mixture. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set it aside, too. Clean the blender to make the swirl.
- Let the strawberry slices melt at room temperature. If you’re pressed for time, you may place them in a saucepan and heat them over low heat. Once thawed, put the strawberry slices into the blender and blend until they turn into a smooth purée.
- Bring out the mini muffin cups and the bowl of cashew filling. Put some cashew filling on top of the crust at the bottom of each mini muffin cup. Then put about half a teaspoon of strawberry purée on top of the cashew filling. Use a toothpick to swirl the two mixtures around. Once each mini muffin cup has been filled, freeze the cheesecakes for an hour or two, or until they become solid. Remove the cheesecakes by pulling the exposed ends of the parchment paper.
- Serve and enjoy!
Shoshonna says
I’m allergic to cashews… is there another nut I can use? I’ve found lots of recipes but all include cashews.
Yummiest Food says
I’m sorry to hear about your allergy, Shoshonna. Maybe you could try to replace cashews with Nuts, Dried Fruit, Whole-Grain Cereal or Seeds. Hope it helps! 🙂
Shoshonna says
Thank you.